hearty oxtail soup

Ben is a huge fan of oxtail and I’m a big fan of any sort of noodle soup, so I decided to make both in a hearty oxtail noodle soup. The broth was made over the course of two days–day one was for the slow cook, refrigeration, and day two was for removing the congealed fat.

Ingredients:

3 pounds of oxtail

3-4 quarts of water

4-5 pieces of star anise

chopped green onions, chinese celery, and/or cilantro (for garnish)

Soak the oxtail in cold water for 20 minutes, this helps remove the blood. Eww. Boil 3-4 quarts of water in a 6.75 quart dutch oven. Once the water comes to a boil, place the oxtail in. After the water comes to a boil again, drop in 4-5 pieces of star anise, put the lid on, lower the heat to medium-low and step away. I can’t quite remember how long I cooked the oxtail for, but at a minimum, cook it for 4 hours. I think I left it on for 5, maybe 6 hours. I lost count. Place the pot in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, use a metal spoon to scrape off the fat that has hardened. Afterwards, reheat the broth up to a boil.

Meanwhile, boil noodles and chop up green onions, chinese celery and/or cilantro for garnish. I also stewed some ground beef sauce as well to add a bit more flavor.